b-ionic vs. switching salts?

[Jolieve]

I started college this fall. I'm so darned busy that I don't remember to dose for ca or dkh. I'm amazed that my clam and corals are still growing at this stage. I have two suggestions that I'm debating between to help me deal with the low ca levels in the tank right now.

My lfs switched to oceanic salt and has had no problems maintaining 400 ppm ca levels in his tanks. I also trust the lfs and don't feel that he would sell me a product he doesn't believe will work for me.

Others have said I could go to dumping in b-ionic in the sump as needed when I get home from class. I've heard good things about this stuff too and I'm told it won't bugger up the ph if I drop it in during the light cycle.

Which way do you guys think I should go and why?

Thanks for your help!
J.

 

[Tackett]

water changes with oceanic buddy, thats what I do. I havent ran a lab test one on my tank in a long time and havent needed to. My clam is growing, my coralines growing. Just keep doing water changes and you wont have to worry about dosing anything. Might want to set up a trash can with a airline and gangvalve to drip some kalk in if you are having trouble maintaining. Just do your water changes and you shouldnt have a problem.

<----is a student nurse, so I understand busy. My fish and my birds suffer because of it. grr.

 

[Anonymous]

Are we saying that doing regular water changes with Oceanic is enough to keep Ca and Alk up? That's new to me.

I use the 2 part stuff...it's worked well for me. That said, I can't give you a good reason to use it yourself

 

[Jolieve]

My lfs says this is enough to maintain the ca at 400 ppm, I do not know if he means that it will raise it there or not.

 

[Anonymous]

Huh...I didn't know that.

Has anyone heard of Oceanic containing phosphate? I'm trying to think where I saw that.

 

[Anonymous]

My Alk has been 440 since switchign to Oceanic. I also run a Kalk reactor. I had the reactor with IO and still couldn't maintain the CA over 350.

I do however notice that my Alk is low now. Working on that.
_________________
Mercedes W114

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info, guys!

 

[Tackett]

Yeah that is true, my alk is a tad on the low side. But I had the same problem with IO which was why I switched. Now I dont have a problem. But like I said, my alkalinity could be a bit higher, but its not in any danger I dont think. I just hate dosing stuff.

 

[Anonymous]

If you only dose B ionic a few times a week, that's fine. It is so super easy to dose.

I am truly skeptical that a salt mix could maintain Ca for a growing clam and hard corals, but I could be wrong.

Even if it works for the level of demand you have now, as your corals/clam grow, they will demand more. I think if you go the route of relying on your salt mix, it would be prudent to test Ca regularly.

 

[Tackett]

If you only dose B ionic a few times a week, that's fine. It is so super easy to dose.

I am truly skeptical that a salt mix could maintain Ca for a growing clam and hard corals, but I could be wrong.

Even if it works for the level of demand you have now, as your corals/clam grow, they will demand more. I think if you go the route of relying on your salt mix, it would be prudent to test Ca regularly.

I thought one of the whole points of water changes was to eliminate the need for additives.

But, sigh, your right. I will need to test Ca regularly soon. I only have one small 2 inch maxima clam for Ca load, I never thought of that. GAD I hate dosing crap. If I was female and had to take birth control pills I would be pregnant because I would never remember to take them. I hate being scatter brained.
But, you are all alot smarter than me, so if you say to do it I probably should.

 

[Jolieve]

Tackett,

Do you remember to feed your fish?

If you remember that, you can remember to add B-ionic.

J.

 

[Tackett]

I dont usually have to feed them often.

 

[Jolieve]

Um...

How would you like it if you went several days without eating? Would you feel good, be healthy or happy?

Feed the damned fish man.

 

[Tackett]

They are mostly herbivores, I dont have to all the time. And the firefish usually hunt off the liverock, so I dont have to fee them that often. And yes I often do go several days without eating. and it blows.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, as Laura suggested, maintaining CA with water changes will only work if your organisms aren't extracting much CA. Or if you are willing to do a very large number of water changes, but that surely has to be more work than 2 part additives. B-ionic is good stuff.

 

[liquid]

FWIW, I just finished up using the last of my b-ionic and decided to try this:

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
By Randy Holmes-Farley
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... 4/chem.htm

Still too early to tell how it'll work but so far my alk levels have been remaining stable. I have no Ca test kit but am getting one shortly.

Shane

 

[Jolieve]

Shane,

I'd be really interested to see your results with this. I'll probably go with b-ionic for now, but if this works well for you and doesn't cause a drastic shift in the ph... then I'll give it a shot too.

J.

 

[liquid]

I've only been using this since Friday so it'll be a bit before I have a feel for how things respond. I do know that its maintaining alk just fine, although I have to use more of it than b-ionic. However that's due to it being less concentrated than b-ionic. My rough estimate is that I have to use 33% more of it to maintain my levels. Give me a couple months and I'll let you know.

Shane

 

[Jolieve]

Thanks Shane. In the mean time.. *wanders over to marinedepot.com and orders the biggest bottle of b-ionic she can get her hands on*

Thank you for your help everyone!
J.